Expert: Leisha Hiester - 9/21/2008

Question
i fired up some painted,then glazed ceramic pieces with a top and bottom together?! Is there a way to separate them without breaking the pieces? they are like little cupcakes that open up...but now i cannot open them!!
Help pls

Answer
Jenn,

Yikes! Unless you can see light between the lid & bottom, they're probably fairly permanently joined. If it's a good seal, they're fused with basically a coating of glass.

If you can see light through the rim & they're only sealed in spots, there is a chance of sawing or cracking them apart, but it is rare they'll come apart intact. I have had some luck in the past with a dremel, but only when the 2 were barely joined.

In the future, fire the 2 separately OR you can leave the rims clean of glaze & wax the rims where they touch. The wax burns off in the firing.

Sorry :( it's definitely a part of learning ceramics. Nearly everyone has done it a time or two.

Leisha